
Though he hasn’t been transcendent since then, the “normal” Harper over the last three years has still hit. The appeal of Harper is a potential return to his peak, which saw the outfielder hit.
BRYCE HARPER CONTRACT PHIILIES 2019 FREE
Why the MLB free agency hellscape has made contract extensions popular Bryce Harper installed as NL MVP favorite - even though he remains unsignedĮven with his foibles Harper was still quite productive last year, including hitting. But with the additions, including Harper this offseason, Philadelphia is hitting all the right spots. Playing out of position hurt the Phillies in 2018, with Scott Kingery at shortstop and Rhys Hoskins in the outfield contributing to a league-worst defense as a team. Harper was also miscast for a long stretch, starting 59 games in center field. His defensive numbers were the worst of his career, dead last among major league outfielders in Total Zone Rating (22 runs below average) and Ultimate Zone Rating (-14.4 runs), and second-to-last in Defensive Runs Saved (-26). 206/.312/.460 for a two-month stretch that featured home runs but little else. He was bad at the plate in May and June, hitting a combined. 249/.393/.496, a 135 wRC+, with 34 home runs and a major league best 130 walks in 2018, though it was an up-and-down year. The Giants were in the Harper conversation as well, with an ownership meting of their own with Harper, including reportedly discussing a 10-year offer to the outfielder, per Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area. The Dodgers mounted a late rally, with owner Mark Walter and manager Dave Roberts among the team contingent who flew to Las Vegas to meet with Harper Sunday night.

Our offer still stands: doughnuts for life if you stay with the Doughnut /652Flsuos4- District Doughnut February 26, 2019 We are #MadeInDC just like you and we would love to keep it that way. That path became clearer once Harper’s old team, the Nationals - who already looked like they were out on the outfielder in December - bowed out as well.ĭear made these for you today. Once Machado landed in San Diego, a logical path was cleared for Harper to Philadelphia. Harper’s deal surpasses the $325 million, 13-year deal Giancarlo Stanton signed with the Marlins after the 2014 season.

But now we can at least cross Harper off the available list, a week after Manny Machado got $300 million over 10 years from the Padres. Spring training camps are open all across Major League Baseball but some of the biggest names still without a team, including Craig Kimbrel and Dallas Keuchel. Jon Heyman of FanCred was first to report the agreement, with Jeff Passan of ESPN reporting the $330 million, making this the largest total contract in major league history. It took longer than one could have reasonably expected, but the Philadelphia Phillies have finally landed their biggest prize of the offseason, agreeing to terms with Bryce Harper on a reported 13-year, $330 million contract.
